Eden and Lila dancing in the living room on New Year’s Eve. Liz is riding a tricycle.
Party like it’s 2024
Category Archives: Eden
What happens after dark
What happens when the old man passes out on the couch at like 6:30? And somebody gets a hold of his phone?
Let’s make hearts
Maggie, look, a heart
Umm
La, who threw that? Noah did?!
Yard work
Maggie chopping out a huge grouping of roots
Maggie, Eden and Luke all helped remove what was a huge eyesore in the front yard. A big bush and wrapped all around it an equally thorny stickerbush. All told, we filled about 20 bags of yard waste.
President’s Final Honor Roll – Gerstell Upper School
Eden earned President’s Honor Roll in her Senior Year at Gerstell Academy.
High school was rocky at times for Eden. And great at times for Eden. She grew up. She learned a lot. She finished on top. And she is ready to move on.
Congratulations, Eden!
What Up, Cuz?
Brody was born in February. But, because of Covid and the fact that Bobby lives in New York, we had not met him yet. Until now. Bobby came in town for a Ravens game. And we all met up at the grandparents’ place. All of the cousins enjoyed getting acquainted. Lila got to meet Uncle Bobby and Aunt KC. And Brody got to meet all of his cousins and aunt and uncle. It was pretty special. Brody was so inquisitive.
Spirit Week at Gerstell
Bath time is best time
Lila loves her baths. Mom and her older sisters give her baths every night. Tonight, Eden helped Mommy give her a bath. Daddy took some video.
Drunk driving victim
Eden and her boyfriend, Jimmy, were hit by a drunk driver. They were coming down Frederick Rd and the drunk driver pulled straight out of the Matthews parking lot, and didn’t stop until he had rammed Jimmy’s Lexus off the other side of the road.
Fortunately neither of them were injured. Eden had some bruises on her arms and face, but got checked out and no serious injuries.
I was very annoyed that the police officers did not breathalize the driver. I asked him why not and he told me the driver was not drunk enough to pass the legal limit, that he has been doing this for 10 years, and a breathalizer won’t hold up in court.
Eden was told by a barback working that night at Matthews that the driver went back into the restaurant after the accident and kept drinking until the restaurant asked him to leave. Obviously, the police officer not doing his job taught this asshole nothing.
And I hope that Jimmy and Eden learned a hard lesson by the way the cops judged them and the witnesses. Two black women, completely separate, saw the accident from two different vantage points. The cop was rude to both witnesses and to Jimmy. I am not sure why. It seemed to me that it was biased based on the race of the witnesses and the youth and appearance of the victims. He treated the drunk driver with a lot more respect because he looked like he had money, even though his wife was next to him totally smashed and he was slurring words, and their drunk and hysterical daughter fled the scene before the cops got there.
School daze – back to school ?!
After what seemed like a year and a half of home schooling, everybody went back to in person school. Maggie and Eden off to Gerstell. New beginnings for these two.
Seven
They grows up and they grows up and they grows up.
Look what we’ve made. Lila’s first few weeks of life zipped by. Dad was dealing with lacrosse nonsense, per usual. Liz was recovering from ACL surgery and going back and forth to the rehab several days a week. Jack trying out for lax teams. Noah and Maggie finishing up a summer schedule for lax. Eden and Maggie preparing for a new school. The boys all getting ready to go back to school for the first real time in a while. Liz was finishing up summer school; she managed to take three classes with exams (which she had to take in Essex) and have surgery in the middle of it. Luke got a bike for his birthday and everybody was wheels up in August. Maggie went camping with Becca in Chincoteague. We all took a quick trip down to spend a night or two with Aunt Joan and Uncle Greg. Eden started a job at Play It Again Sports. All the while, Lila was eating, sleeping, crying and pooping. And being loved.
And in a blink, it was time for the seven to part, at least for Liz to hit the road to go back to Louisville.
Taking stock. Seven is a lot. There is a lot of love in this picture right here. A lot of kids who are smart, respectful, funny, conscientious, and, in my opinion, pretty amazing. And I want them all to be happy. So, we do our best as parents to provide for them. Help them become good citizens. Help them through their struggles. Help them dream. Help them grow. Help them to learn the value of hard work. And help them find joyous moments in life.
2020 was tough. In so many ways it was tough. It was tough on Liz. It was tough on Eden. Noah did well, but 2021 threw up new challenges. Maggie seems to bee bop through anything that comes her way. 2020 was tough on Luke. Jack is a cool customer and is ready to be back to school soon. It certainly had some hardships for Marcia and me. And Lila is coming onto the scene with no expectations.
At the end of 2021, I hope to have two (licensed) drivers in the house, and one working on it. And Eden figuring out where she wants to go to college. And for the seven to be together again for a few weeks around Christmas.
Six With Sticks 